Reebok Canada: PureMove

Making a mass-produced product individually relevant

Thanks to smart technology, all our go-to-gadgets (phones, fitness monitors, speakers) track patterns of behavior in order to customize a response. And now, the same can be said for your sports bra. In 2018 Reebok launched a game-changing sports bra – Reebok PureMove Bra – designed to adapt to a women’s movement in real-time, from high intensity to low impact movements and made possible by the brand’s proprietary Motion Sense Technology. When vigorous motion strains the bra’s knit fabric, a gel-like thickening fluid activates and causes the garment to constrict and offer extra support. Sized from XS to XXXL this bra allows women of all sizes to comfortably perform active pursuits better, for longer.

This launch marked Reebok’s entry into a category where they’d previously lagged competitors, and so the brand needed to gain credibility with consumers in order to drive sales. The team at Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) Canada was tasked with developing a launch campaign to develop creds and create buzz among media and influencers, engage consumers and inspire purchase at retail. A product proof point to the brand’s latest Be More Human campaign that centered around women, the launch for the PureMove bra was supported with a media content series, launch event with media and influencers, retail events with consumers and media + influencer relations throughout.

Our key communications did just that. We started with a content series on Best Health to introduce some of Reebok’s female ambassadors and tell their Be More Human fitness stories, laying a strong foundation for the brand with an on-target audience. Then, we followed up with media and influencer events in Toronto and Montreal to drive credibility. Finally, creating a compelling retail experience that allowed our audiences to trial the sports bra was the finishing piece.

After we launched with impact, we knew sustaining momentum with earned media would be crucial to the long-term success of PureMove. To ensure we stayed top of mind with media (and consumers), we found natural news holes to pitch the bra for the important fall/winter season (marathon season, staying fit over the holidays, etc). We also engaged in influencer partnerships that showcased the bra in-situation and on different body types to maintain a halo effect where our consumer was seeking tips + advice.

Media, influencers and consumers authentically interacted with the Reebok Brand, and got a first-hand look at the PureMove Bra. We were able to establish credibility by securing coverage among Canada’s most top-tier fitness and fashion publications (ELLE, HUFFPOST, FASHION, iRUN, HELLO), and drive trial in-store to validate the product and technology. With over 3 million impressions, we laid a strong foundation for the launch of PureMove and further sustained our momentum by jumping on natural newsholes and partnering with relevant influencers to help tell our story. The true test of our success? The sales of PureMove Bra exceeded all sell-through expectations from the client.